PUBLICATION
The bullies are the leaders of the next generation: inherited aminergic neurotransmitter system changes in socially dominant zebrafish, Danio rerio
- Authors
- Sundvik, M., Puttonen, H., Semenova, S., Panula, P.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-210421-7
- Date
- 2021
- Source
- Behavioural brain research 409: 113309 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Panula, Pertti, Puttonen, Henri, Semenova, Svetlana, Sundvik, Maria
- Keywords
- dominance, hierarchy, leadership, noradrenaline, serotonin, zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal/physiology*
- Dominance-Subordination*
- Female
- Male
- Norepinephrine/metabolism*
- Serotonin/metabolism*
- Sex Characteristics*
- Zebrafish
- PubMed
- 33878430 Full text @ Behav. Brain Res.
Citation
Sundvik, M., Puttonen, H., Semenova, S., Panula, P. (2021) The bullies are the leaders of the next generation: inherited aminergic neurotransmitter system changes in socially dominant zebrafish, Danio rerio. Behavioural brain research. 409:113309.
Abstract
We studied the social hierarchy in zebrafish and assessed differences in neurotransmitters and behavior in the F1 generation offspring of dominant and subordinate zebrafish (Danio rerio). We used behavioral assays to study locomotion, ability to complete cognitive tasks, social interaction and aggression. To study the neurochemical changes, we applied quantitative polymerase chain reaction, high pressure liquid chromatography and immunohistochemistry. Social hierarchies were formed both by males and females when animals were kept in same sex pairs in the dyadic dominant-subordinate hierarchy test. The offspring of dominant animals were the leaders in social interactions, however aggression in the mirror-test was not altered in any group. Serotonin and noradrenaline levels were lower in the F1 generation subordinate animals when compared with dominant animals, but not compared with animals that were naïve to social hierarchy. The mRNA level of the rate-limiting enzyme in histamine synthesis, histidine decarboxylase, was significantly lower in dominant and subordinate larval zebrafish when compared with control animals. In the dominant adult zebrafish tyrosine hydroxylase 1 mRNA level was lower compared with control animals, whereas tyrosine hydroxylase 2 mRNA was not different. The result was verified with immunohistochemistry. There were gender specific differences between the dominant and subordinate animals, where the dominant females performed better in cognitive tasks such as the T-maze than subordinate females. This was not observed in males, as the behavior of the dominant and subordinate males did not differ. These results add to the understanding of the plastic nature of the central nervous system and show that neurochemical features in aminergic neurotransmitter systems are associated with social leadership and dominance.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping